Lubricated syringe



Nov. 18, 1952 A. P. BLOXSOM LUBRICATED SYRINGE Filed Nov. 25, 1950 imam? IN VEN TOR. ,44 L441 x? 4910x8044 ymm% M1 Eff/92m ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" LUBRICATED SYRINGE Allan P. Bloxsom, Houston, Tex.

Application November 25, 1950, Serial No.;197, 620

' Claims. 1 (01. 128-218) Thi'sinvention relates to syringes which are used for hypodermic, irrigation, and other purposes.

'In conventional syringes much difficulty has been encountered due to the sticking of the plunger in the barrel of the syringe. This is particularly true in the giving of large amounts of fluids where ordinarily a stock of syringes are necessary due to the sticking of the plunger and barrel of the syringe and the consequent need for substituting a second or more syringes. Moreover,' considerab1e difliculty is encountered in giving'transfusions in small veins because of the possible necessity for withdrawing the needle out of the vein before completion of the transfusion and the attendant-difficulties encountered in reflnding the small vein.

' Accordingly, it is a prime object of my invention to provide a syringe which is lubricated and thereby eliminate sticking of the plunger in the barrel. I It isa further object of my invention to provide a syringe in which large amounts of fluid may be given by a single syringe thereby avoiding the necessity of using a stock of several syringes.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a syringe which is lubricated and yet mav be easily cleansed and sterilized.

It is yet a, further feature and obiect of my invention to provide a syringe in which the gi ng of large amounts of fluids is less tiring'or burden some to the ooeratorof the syringe than is the casein using conventional syringes.

It is a still further obiect of the present invention to provide a syrin e which has a substan' tially constant pressure feed. I l

It is yet a further object of my invention to provide a series of reservoirs in the inner wall of the barrel of the syringe in order that a wetting agent. will constantly wet the plun er and provide a uniform film betweenthe plunger and the barrel. thereby'maintaining a constant operating pressure.

It is still a further object and feature of my invention to provide a syringe which eliminates the need of changing the syringe in giving transfusions in small veins and, accordingly, reduces the possibilities of withdrawin the needle from the vein and the attendant difficulties of inserting the needle back into the small vein.

In accordance with the present invention the lubrication for the plunger which eliminates sticking thereof may be provided by self lubrication of the medicament fluid being used in the syringe. That is, in the giving of glucose or an intravenous anesthesia, the glucose or anesthesia may be utilized as the lubricant. However, the lubrication may be furnished by a fluid foreign to the medicament fluid being used in the syringe; for example, in the giving of blood in transfusions, saline, glucose, or Hartmanns'solution may be used to advantage as the lubricating fluid.

Accordingly, it is a further feature and object of my invention to provide a syringe in which the plunger may be lubricated by either the medicament fluid being used in the syringe or bya lubricating fluid foreign to that being used in the syringe. f

Other and further objects and features willbe apparent from the following description, which is by way of example, taken in connection. with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view, with parts broken away, of a syringe constructed in accordance with the in vention, i I r Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view takenalong the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figs. 3, 4, '5 and 7 are fragmentary side views, with parts broken away, illustrating alternative embodiments of syringes constructed in accordance with my invention, and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sect onal view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows. I

Referring now to the drawing, where -:like character references refer to like parts throughout the several views, the reference character 10 indicates the'barrel or piston chamber defining a reservoir chamber having the plunger or piston I2 movable therein. Any preferred/grip M for the plunger may be utilized and I have illustrated a conventional head member l6 for the barrel. in which a conventional needle may. be secured; In order to aid in the use of the syringe the finger stop members l8 in the form of a flange are pro--, vided integral with the outer-end of the barrel or piston chamber Ill.

The syringe is conventionally formed of glass but may be formed of any suitable material. The above described elements of the syringe are typical and conventional and are merely referred to for the purposes of disclosure.

The present development relates to the provision of lubricant holding reservoir recesses, generally referred to by the numeral 20, near the outer end of the barrel or piston chamber l2. As illustrated in Fig. 1 the lubricating recesses comprise a plurality of grain or ellipsoidal shaped recesses, viewed in cross-section, defining two circumferential rows of recesses. The lubricating recesses are better seen in Fig. 2. Thus, when the plunger or piston I2 is moved outwardly, as when filling the reservoir defined by the barrel and plunger head, the outer surface of the plunger or piston will tend to dry and upon moving the plunger l2 inwardly, the latter will be wetted by the fiuid trapped in the recesses 2| thereby lubricating the plunger I2 as it is moved in the pistonnhamber orbarrel I0.

While "the lubricantholding reservoirs or recesses '20 in the inner wall of the barrel or the piston chamber ID are illustrated as defined generally by two circumferential channels, one or more of such channels may be utilized. Moreover, the recesses 20 may be defined "by an-almost unlimited variety of grooves .or .indentations. For example, Fig. 3 illustrates substantially circular recesses 22 in the general "form of spaced circumferential channels. Fig. 4 illustrates 1a zplurality .of diagonal grooves .24 defining generally apair 10f circumferential ;channels.

Fig. :5 illustrates Spaced :circumferential rings 25 asxthe "circumferential grooves, and Fig. '7 illustrates the grooves tas V-shaped, viewed in crosssection, rings-28.

lThus it is "manifest that the recesses provided inithe inner wall of the piston chamber may bectdefined by a avariety of'forms; however, it is preferable that these lubricant retaining recesses or 'sreservoirs be :positioned close to the outer end of rthebarrel l0 and, while only one such series of recesses is satisfactory, any numberzmay ibeiutilized. :Moreover, instead of circumferentialichannels or rings, a series of recessestor'dzhelike may be inclined'to the axis of the piston chamber; zlrowever, in such event, the lubricant channels should not extend along the sinnerface of "the barrel 10 in a longitudinal direction for too great a length because ,of-possible;leakage"of fluid past the piston 12.

11121158, 'forrexample in'ithe giving offiuid medicament such as glucose or an intravenous anesthesia,' theiplunger l 2 imay be withdrawn substantially toitheiouter endof ;the barrel ID therebyffilling cthe Ilatter -.WlthiSlICh 'fiuid and thereby filling the recesses 20. In giving the *fiuid the piston 1.2 will be urged inwardly thereby explling ithe :fiuid .and after the leading end of the piston l2 has passed one or more of the recesses '20, .the fiuid :therein will be retained therein :and will wet :the plunger I2 thereby lubricating lit and avoidingsticking of the plunger .t2;and.the cylinder .10. :In addition a substantially-lconstant :pressure .feed for :the syringe will be :provided.

BIf desired, .a .ifluid iori'gn to :tire gfluid medicament being. given-maybe utilized: as the lubricant as, for example, in .the giving of blood :in

transfusions, the syringe ;may be filled with :a

suitable lubricating fiuid,:such as saline, glucose oriHartmanns .solution 'and'the solution expelled and the piston cylinder or barrel l0 may then be filled with blood and the transfusion given, the lubricating fiuid remaining in the recesses and providing lubrication for the plunger.

It seems manifest that a syringe constructed in accordance with the present invention would be easy to sterilize and keep clean. The cleansing and sterilizing of syringes consumes some little time and in some instances is quite troublesome and a syringe constructed according to the presentinvention is advantageous in this respect. However, the principles of the present invention may be applied to any of the conventional syringes. Moreover, it seems manifest that the reservoirs 20 for housing fiuid to provide the lubricating-function may assume an unlimited varietyof forms.

Accordingly, while several embodiments of the syringe "are shown and described herein, it is obvious that the principles of the present invention-may be applied .to any conventional :s yringe and that various :changes :may be made .,in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of 'the invention orthe scope-of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A syringe comprising .a barrel, a plunger of substantially constant diameter movable in the barrel, and recesses in the barrel adapted toiretainfiuid and lubricate themovable plunger.

.2. A syringe comprising a barrel, a plunger of :substantially constant diameter slidable in the barrel, and grooves in the barrel adapted to retain fiuid and lubricate the movable plunger.

3. A syringe :comprising a barrel, aplunger of substantial constant diameter movable in :the barrel, and reservoir recesses in the barrel disposed near its outer .end adapted to retain .fiuid and lubricate :theplunger.

4. A syringe comprising a-barrel, a plunger of substantial constant diameter movable in [said barrel, and grooves -in said barrel .defining at least. one =circumferential v channeLnear the outer end of said barrel adapted to :retain fiuidan'd lubricate the plunger.

5. A-syringecomprising a.barrel, a plungero'f substantial constant diameter movable .in the barrel, and reservoir means in an inner .wall of :the barrel adapted ,to retain a wetting .agent to provide a fiuid film between adjacent sur-v faces of the barrel and the plunger thereby providing a constant operatingpressure.

- ALLAN .P. BLO'XSOM.

,REFERENCES CITED Number .Name 'iDate 7 18,917 9 Campbell .'Jan.. 27/1903 1,711,219 Hein .Julyf22, 1930 

